THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

January 21, 1993

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

 

            This time I have decided to do something different, and have taken odds and ends from the Waupaca County Post during the past years.  This may bring back to mind names of people or business places where you may have shopped.

            March 1, 1938 – Mrs. Marie Wikel announced this week the opening of a new beauty shop, to be called Marie’s Craft Shop, in the rooms over the Candy Kitchen of the Drivas building, formerly occupied by the offices of Dr. W. G. Rudersdorf.  The latter has moved to the Abstract and Loan building.

            Mrs. Wikel, wife of the man who recently purchased the Pedersen Barber Shop, will be assisted in her shop by Miss Belva Forseth, popular Waupaca beautician.

            October 6, 1938 – An indoor greasing rack and office is being erected for the Wadhams Oil Company at their service station on West Fulton Street.  The building is to be 27 by 54 feet.

            September 15, 1938 – McLellan’s Men’s Wear will hold their grand opening at 210 South Main St. on September 22.

            August 11, 1938 – Work will start immediately on a new 36 by 124 foot building to house a new bowling alley, states M.E. Laux, who is erecting the structure on two lots that he had purchased near the Soo Line depot Lent Mertz will be the manager.

            October 13, 1938 – The George Sage News Stand that was located for many years on East Union Street was sold to Woody Marceil.

            October 13, 1938 – Laatsch Radio Service is opening a radio service shop at 115-1/2 West Fulton St., formerly the Midget Shoe Repair.

            January 19, 1939 – C.M. Parish who operates the Parish Tavern at 112 North Main St. has bought the two adjacent businesses.  The deal was closed whereby he acquired the property from Dr. C.W. Andrews, now occupied by Normington’s, and the Sanitary Barber Shop.

            June 15, 1939 – The Earl Fabricius building that for several years was occupied by the Parish Tavern and was damaged by fire April 20, is being repaired.

            July 20, 1939 – The re-opening of the former Palace Restaurant – now to be known as the Fairbanks Café – is set for July 22.  It will be run by Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Fairbanks.

            January 24, 1940 – The A & P Store leased the old post office building from the Penney Estate.  They moved from the Beadleston building.  (The old post office building was located at 212 South Main St.  This is now the business place of the Culligan Water Conditioning Co. and the Beadleston building is now the business place of Broadway Optical, at 101 North Main St. and the Marketplace at 103 North Main.)

            January 11, 1940 – Ben Weiner, who was associated with his brother Ike in the Boston Store in Weyauwega, will soon open up a small men’s wear store in a portion of the Holly building now occupied by the Waupaca Fruit Store.

            May 2, 1940 – Leon Jacklin is to start a Case Agency in the Atkinson building on the corner of West Union and South Washington.

            August 1, 1940 – Jacklin moves his J.I. Case Agency to South Main Street.

            June 24, 1940 – The McFadden Five Star Hardware will open in the building just recently vacated by Piggly Wiggly at 210 South Main. They held their grand opening June 29, 1940.

            May 5, 1938 – The biggest attraction in Waupaca Monday and Tuesday was the big steam shovel working at the lot on West Union Street, where the Central Wisconsin Seed Company will make their new home.  After the chap with the big caterpillar and power shovel had dug himself into a big hole, scores of local citizens stood on the edge of the excavation wondering how the big machine would get out.  (There was a picture taken by the Waupaca County Post of the activity from the roof of the Cristy building.)

            The seed company plans to move to its new home by August 1, 1938. The new building will be 60 by 57-1/2 feet, and will be of brick construction, full basement and one story.  The move from East Unions Street was required by plans for the Glover Store expansion.

            October 3, 1940 – Elmer Pedersen leased the Fairbanks Café, the former Palace Restaurant.

            September 2, 1943 – Pedersen’s Restaurant on West Fulton Street will have an new name Saturday, when the place is opened for business after being closed several days for renovation and painting.  It will be known as Carl’s Restaurant.  A deal was closed the first of the week when Elmer Pedersen, proprietor for the last three years, sold the business to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ter Haar.

            Septemer 6, 1945 – George R. Johnson, Endeavor, became the new owner of the Waupaca Fruit Store this week, having completed negotiations with the former owner, Sol Minkoff.

            October 23, 1947 – Last Saturday Duwain Bonnell, a member of the Grand Army Home Fire Department at King, held a “Hand in a million,” a perfect 29 hand in cribbage.  Very few cribbage players ever draw a hand of four fives and a jack in their entire lifetime, so “Dewey” is to be congratulated, or something; the odds on drawing such a hand is astronomical.  Mr. Bonnell will probably play a long time before ever seeing another such phenomenon.

            January 2, 1963 – For the remainder of the week the 4¢ postage rate for first class letters holds good, but starting Monday, Jan. 7, 1963, the rates goes up to a nickel.

            The new Hiway 10 Outdoor Theatre, located on Highway 10 between Waupaca and Weyauwega, will open for the first time at 8:15 p.m. Sunday, June 18, 1950, with the showing of “Challenge to Lassie.”  Albert Behm Jr., proprietor, announced today.

            September 3, 1942 – Proof that Waupaca County’s deer herds are increasing is seen in fact that five deer have been killed by cars on county highways this summer.  The last reported Saturday night on Highway 161 near the Sandburr Inn, north of Ogdensburg.  Other deer killed on Waupaca County highways this year include one on Highway 54, west of Waupaca; one on Highway 49 towards Bloomfield, south of Sunset Curve, and two near Big Falls. Dr. John Pelton saw two deer near his Crystal Greenhouse.